Verizon Wireless spectrum deal near regulatory approval - WSJ

Aug 14 U.S. regulators are close to approving
Verizon Wireless's proposed $3.9 billion spectrum purchase from
several cable companies, including Comcast Corp, the
Wall Street Journal reported, citing people close to the
negotiations.

The companies have reached broad agreement to settle
antitrust concerns by limiting the scope and duration of side
agreements to sell each other's services, the Journal said.

Antitrust regulators have earlier sought strict limits on
controversial side deals even as the Justice Department and
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) appear prepared to
approve the spectrum portion of the deals with minor
adjustments.

Besides the side deals, Verizon and Comcast have also agreed
not to implement the joint marketing agreement in areas where
they both compete for Internet, TV and phone service, the
newspaper reported.

The Justice Department and FCC are reviewing plans by
Verizon Wireless, the biggest U.S. mobile provider, to buy
spectrum from a consortium of cable providers, including Comcast
and Time Warner Cable. The transactions were
proposed in December.

Verizon Wireless could not immediately be reached for
comment by Reuters outside U.S. business hours.

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on Friday, as organizers of the event denied media reports that
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